Vanity Fair is launching its quarter of a century issue and 12 of America's finest stars have come together to celebrate the past year, for the magazine's annual Hollywood issue.

This year’s main image took place in LA and New York and saw iconic photographer, Annie Leibovitz photographing film and TV’s most iconic actors. Editor-in-chief Graydon Carter launched the Hollywood Issue 20 years ago.

Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Jessica Chastain and Gal Gadot join a stellar line-up as the A-list come together to showcase some of the most powerful figures in the movie industry.

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Vanity Fair wrote: 'The films and TV shows represented by the actors in this year’s Hollywood Portfolio—which for the first time offers a behind-the-scenes look at the shoot—took the #MeToo movement in stride, offering strong women in leading roles, as well as strong men supporting them.

Iconic: There’s also one possible future female president in the mix, in the form of Oprah Winfrey on the cover

Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter also joins Robert De Niro in the iconic snap.

Chastain, 40, looks incredible in a red off-shoulder dress as she takes centre stage in the shoot.

She has 30 films under her belt and her Help co-star Octavia Spencer recently spoke out about how she helped them both earn raises on their new comedic film project.

The 47-year-old told the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's 'Women Breaking Barriers' panel that Chastain spoke to her over a year ago about doing a comedy together.

And six months later, she said they were talking about pay equity, but she revealed Jessica had no clue that women of colour can earn less in the industry.

'She had no idea what it was like for women of colour': Octavia Spencer (right) recently revealed Jessica Chastain (left) fought for them to get equal pay and earned them both a huge raise on their new movie - pictured at the Golden Globes on January 7

Words: She told the Hollywood Foreign Press Association that Chastain spoke to her over a year ago about doing a comedy together - a still from The Help

She said: 'Here’s the thing, women of colour on that spectrum, we make far less than white women. So, if we’re gonna have that conversation about pay equity, we gotta bring the women of colour to the table.

'And I told her my story, and we talked numbers, and she was quiet, and she said she had no idea that that’s what it was like for women of colour.'

Octavia added: 'She said, "You and I are gonna be tied together. We’re gonna be favored nations, and we’re gonna make the same thing, you are going to make that amount".'

She revealed that last week, she was earning five times more than what she had asked for.

Reese Witherspoon spoke about the #MeToo movement during her tribute to her Big Little Lies co-star, Nicole Kidman at the Gotham Independent Film Awards in November.

She praised her for her work on the TV series, as she presented her with the Film Tribute Award and said she believes her portrayal of the character, Celeste Wright, may have helped women in a similar position to come forward.

Talking about her role as Celeste, she said: '[She] showed the intricacies of what so many women are going through in abusive relationships, and I truly believe this helped open up the conversation that so many people are having now about people who are facing this same struggle with abuse and harassment in their own lives.'

Future President? Oprah, who graces the cover in an all-black haute couture dress, became the first black woman to win the Golden Globes’ Cecil B. DeMille Award. She caused a ripple with her empowering speech at the event

This year's line-up includes Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Jessica Chastain wearing super high end labels like Calvin Klein, Gucci and Elie Saab. But it was Gal Gadot's gorgeous dress that really caught our attention.

It's hot off the Christian Dior AW17 couture collection runway and we love the dramatic sheer grey skirt and strapless feathered bodice. It's precisely the sort of dress you dream of wearing if you managed to score an invitation to the Oscars!

Click (right) to take a closer look at this dress. Or if you want to recreate the couture look on a high street budget, look no further than our edit below. ASOS, Halston Heritage and Coast have all got dresses that will make you feel like the belle of the ball.

Meanwhile, Nicole has spoken up about the #MeToo movement, previously vowing to do her best to support those who have been impacted. 'A lot of it is based in helping each other. And feeling safe and being heard,' she told Ten News.

Her message was amplified during her acceptance speech for the Best Actress in a Limited Series award that she picked up at the Golden Globes, where she thanked her feminist activist mother. 77-year-old Janelle, who lives in Sydney, worked as a nursing instructor and was a member of the Women's Electoral Lobby, a non-profit feminist lobby group founded in 1972.

And Queen of Hollywood Nicole, 50, gushed over her mother Janelle, telling the audience: 'My momma was an advocate for the women's movement when I was growing up, and because of her I'm standing here.

'My achievements are her [Janelle's] achievements. Antonia Kidman, my sister, and I say thank you Janelle Kidman for what you fought for so hard.'

Support: Reese Witherspoon spoke about the #MeToo movement during her tribute to her Big Little Lies co-star, Nicole Kidman at the Gotham Independent Film Awards in November - a still from the TV series

Oprah, who graces the cover in an all-black haute couture dress, became the first black woman to win the Golden Globes’ Cecil B. DeMille Award, caused a ripple with her empowering speech at the event, which led to calls for her to become 2020 President.

She said: 'I want all of the girls watching here now to know, that a new day is on the horizon.'

However, Oprah recently shut down requests for her to start a career in politics, explaining that she does not want to take on Donald Trump in a run for US president because she does not 'have the DNA' for it.

In the talk with InStyle which would have been conducted in mid-December, she said: 'I've always felt very secure and confident with myself in knowing what I could do and what I could not. And so it's not something that interests me. I don't have the DNA for it.'

Role model: Nicole Kidman (pictured left at the 2018 Golden Globes) has spoken up about the #MeToo movement, and recently praised her feminist icon mother Janelle (pictured together right at the 2004 ceremony) for all her guidance

Wonder Women star Gal Gadot appears on the cover in a glamorous gown featuring a feathered bodice and sheer tulle skirt. The 32-year-old Israeli actress came to prominence with the role, but also for refusing to sign on for a sequel unless accused sexual harasser Brett Ratner was removed from the franchise. Ratner, through his attorney, has vehemently denied the allegations against him.

She confirmed the news on NBC's Today Show, as when asked about the claims she explained: 'The truth is, there’s so many people involved in making this movie, it’s not just me, and they all echoed the same sentiments. Everyone knew what was the right thing to do.'

A source told Page Six at the time: "She’s tough and stands by her principles. She also knows the best way to hit people like Brett Ratner is in the wallet.

'She also knows that Warner Bros has to side with her on this issue as it develops. They can’t have a movie rooted in women’s empowerment being part-financed by a man ­accused of sexual misconduct against women.'

Taking a stand: Wonder Women star Gal Gadot came to prominence with the role, but also for refusing to sign on for a sequel unless accused sexual harasser Brett Ratner (right) was removed from the franchise

Woman of the moment: Gal plays the titular role in Wonder Woman but claimed she wouldn't have starred in the sequel unless she was comfortable with the cast and crew on board

At just 21-years-old former child star Zendaya is the youngest star to grace the cover, but has been vocal about the fight for equality between the genders and the role that celebrities play in inspiring young women.

Speaking to Flare magazine, The Greatest Showman star reasoned: 'In the words of Tupac Shakur: I am a real model because I’m not playing a role and I’m not pretending to be some good kid that’s perfect. It just happens that I’m a good kid, and I don’t do bad stuff and I like to be positive because that’s just how I was raised. I think if I were faking it, then you would’ve seen me break character a long time ago...

'A feminist is a person who believes in the power of women just as much as they believe in the power of anyone else. It’s equality, it’s fairness, and I think it’s a great thing to be a part of.'

Speaking out: At just 21-years-old former child star Zendaya is the youngest star to grace the cover, but has been vocal about the fight for equality between the genders and the role that celebrities play in inspiring young women

Representing the Brits was Claire Foy - who graced the cover in a nude tulle gown - and was chosen to join the stars as the magazine claims she 'embodies' the strength of her character, Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown.

Speaking about how feminism played a part in the role and her research of the monarch, Claire told Vogue: 'I think that everybody who has ever met her [The Queen] has nothing but good things to say about her. She has time for everyone and gives everybody her attention, and I think that’s extraordinary.

Also, the idea that she’s sort of a feminist, it’s a bit of a misconception as well. In the sense that she may be an icon of femininity and women, but she did say “love, honor, and obey” in her marriage vows.

She would have very happily lived a classic 1950s marriage. I think her strength has come from not doing that, but I think she wasn’t a willing participant in that.'

The Vanity Fair Hollywood Issue is out on February 2.

Best of British: Representing the Brits was Claire Foy and was chosen to join the stars as the magazine claims she 'embodies' the strength of her character, Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown (pictured with Michael C Hall, Jodi Balfour and Matt Smith)